The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) was founded as a rebel movement on May 16th 1983. It was led by Commander-in-Chief John Garang de Mabior. Along with the political wing, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, the aim of the SPLA was to establish an autonomous Southern Sudan, initially within a united Sudan. 

Its military actions against the Sudanese government became the Second Sudanese Civil War that would last until 2005. 

After South Sudan gained its independence in 2011, the SPLA became the army of the new country.  

The SPLA was renamed as the South Sudan People’s Defense Force in 2018, partly as the SPLA has splintered into so many acronyms over the years that is hard to keep track of who is fighting who.